Luke 19:40 (NIV): “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
The Lord has just come into Jerusalem riding on a colt, in what is famously known as the Triumphal Entry, The crowd of disciples is beside themselves with joy. They are throwing their cloaks on the road, as Jesus rides on. They are praising God in loud voices, for all the miracles they have seen. There are unabashed celebrations and worship.
There is, however, an extremely unhappy lot too, the Pharisees. They watch from a distance, in anger and frustration. Seeing the jubilant crowds, the widespread acceptance and worship that Jesus was receiving, was more than they could handle. They march right up and ask Jesus to rebuke and restrain the crowd. How could they allow such a blatant public display of adoration to go on unchecked, right? It is in response to this demand from the Pharisees, that the Lord, the Son of God, the Lord of all creation, the Maker of the universe, replies if the people keep quiet, the stones will cry out!!!
When God made all of creation, He did it single-handedly. He didn’t need man.
When man had fallen into sin, when the time was right, God sent His own Son, not man to redeem man. He didn’t need man.
Today as He continues to fulfill His kingdom purposes, He is still the same amazing God, who can do all that He chooses. He still doesn’t need man.
Yet, the beauty, however, is that this amazing all-powerful God graciously chooses to use this very man, weak and sinful as he is, to fulfill His kingdom purposes. The fact remains that God is more than able to do all that He wishes to, without your help and mine. And yet, He uses us!! What a privilege!
What a privilege to be used by the King of kings and Lord of lords, to advance His kingdom. What a privilege to praise this God and worship Him through our actions and service, small or big. What a privilege that though God can use anything in all of creation, even the stones, which will cry out in praise, He longs for the praise that rises from my lips. What a privilege indeed!!
However, many a time, this perspective is lost in the busyness of all the action and ‘service’. There is an innate sense of self-righteousness that drives many a Christian today. Those who do truly behave like those around them, their families, the church, the world, and everything in it, would simply fall apart, if not for the likes of them!!They seem to have the attitude that the world itself, is privileged to have them.
But truth be told, nothing is farther from the truth. Nothing, absolutely nothing, will suffer if you don’t do that which you have the opportunity and resources to do. The same God who created this entire universe without any man’s help is still very much on the throne and is more than capable of completing His kingdom purposes, with or without your help!! The fact it is your privilege and mine to be used by this almighty and amazing God, and NOT God’s privilege to have us serve Him!
God needs no one. If you don’t do it He will find someone else who will. So the question my friend is, are you available to worship this amazing God through your praise and service or will He have to find someone else instead?
Heavenly Father, may I never lose sight of the fact that it is my awesome privilege to serve and so worship you, whatever the task, small or big.
